1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to instruments such as video cassette recorders (VCRs) and the like for performing a reserved video recording of a broadcast program. More specifically, the present invention relates to a character input reserved video recording method wherein a program corresponding to a direct input of a title for that program can be video recorded. In short, entry of the program title allows reserved video recording of the corresponding program. An apparatus suitable for implementing the inventive method is also disclosed.
Korean Patent Application No. 92-16150 is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, apparatuses, e.g., VCRs and the like, for reserved video recording of a broadcast program are known. In the known apparatus, a user inputs information about a broadcast program desired to be video recorded. Then, the programmed starting time of the reserved video recording is compared current time, e.g., a clock, in the VCR. As a result of the comparison, if the starting time corresponds with the current time, the VCR is activated to record the reserved video program.
It will be noted that the apparatus also determines whether a finishing time of the reserved video recording has arrived during the video recording of the reserved program. If the finishing time has arrived, the apparatus finishes the video recording to thereafter turns off the power or puts the apparatus into a standby operating mode. If a separate tuner is included in the VCR, the video recording can be made of the desired program when the corresponding starting time arrives irrespective of the operating condition of other video equipment, e.g., a television.
However, in order to perform a typical reserved video recording, a great deal of information has to be input with respect to the program. Thus, with the assistance of data sources, e.g., newspapers or television information magazines, listing information on broadcast programs, the station channel, starting time of the program (year, month, date, time, minute), finishing time, repeat mode (NORMAL, DAILY, WEEKLY), speed mode (SP, LP, SLP) of the VCR and the like can be preset. It will be appreciated that the information input process about the program can be so complicated that the user experiences a great deal of inconvenience because the channel, date, starting time, finishing time and the like have to be input as numbers.
In order to remove these inconveniences, e.g., as a way to simplify the reserved video recording, a method for programming has been developed utilizing a code. More specifically, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. Hei 1-168173 (1989), entitled, "Reservation Video Recording Method" a method has been described for reserved video recording of a program by entering a code, comparing the code to a code broadcast at the start of the program and confirming coincidence between the entered code and the broadcast code. However, because the thus-mentioned method calls for coding of various programs of each broadcast station, there arises a problem in that numbers the user has to input gets increased and the reserved video recording gets impossible when the data carrying the broadcast programs is fouled up.
Furthermore, in the thus-described method, there is no counter-measure for coping with the situation where the broadcast plan is suddenly changed, making the sequential video recording of such serial programs as the soap operas, mini-series, etc., can not be performed using a DAILY or WEEKLY video recording mode.
Likewise, the title of the video program can not be confirmed during confirmation of the reserved program. Thus, there arises another problem in that the user can not definitely know whether the entered data corresponds to the program that the user intends to record.
By way of example, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. Hei 3-88159 (1991), entitled "Program Reserving System" a technique has been proposed where, when a title of a sought-after program is located in a reservation mode by way of a database search, a reservation set-up data including the reservation mode of the corresponding program, channel, starting time, finishing time and recording start date is generated and the generated data is transmitted to a recording means to thereby perform a reserved establishment of the program. In accordance with Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. Hei 3-88159, the recorded program information is provided on a recording medium such as a as a CD-ROM and the like. However, in the method thus described, a separate apparatus for searching the CD-ROM is needed, thus making the method both expensive and inconvenient as well.
The present invention was motivated bey a desire to overcome the above-mentioned problems.